Duke  University  Libraries 
Address  to  the 
Conf  Pam  #587 


ADDRESS 


TO   rni; 


OFFICERS  OF  TH^  FOURTH  BRIGADE, 


GIVINt, 


THE    GROUNDS    OF    ]1I8    RESIGNATIOi^: 


RESPECTFULLY   StAMTTTED    TD    THEM    BY 


JAMES*^  aiMONS, 


J///y,  istil. 


CHARLESTON : 

STBAM-POWER      PRESSES      OF      EVANS      ft      COGSWELL, 

No.  3  Broad  and  103  East  Bay  Streets. 

1861. 


ADDRESS. 


To  THE  Officers  of  the  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M.:  v 

It  is,  of  course,  known  to  you  that  I  have  lately  handed,  to 
my  superior  officer,  my  resignation  as  Brigadiei'-Cienei'al.  For 
near  twenty-eight  years  I  have  had  the  honor  of  holding  a 
commission  in  the  militia  of  South  Carolina,  having  risen  from 
a  lieutenancy,  through  all  the  grades,  to  the  rank  from  wliich  I 
have  lately  felt  myself  constrained  to  withdraw. 

To  leave  any  post  of  labor  or  responsibility  in  the  present 
condition  of  public  aifairs,  naturally  prompts  inquiry;  but 
when  such  is,  besides,  a  military  post  affording  some  prospect 
of  honorable  distinction  in  the  performance  of  public  duty,  it 
ought  to  excite  much  surprise. 

I  believe  that  I  have,  hitherto,  discharged  my  duties  in  such 
way  as  to  command  the  approval  of  all  who  have  had  an 
opportunity'  of  forming  a  judgment.  Earnestly  desiring  to 
retain  the  good  opinion  of  tl*ose  who  have  been  so  lately  sub- 
ject to  ni}'  command,  I  hope  you  will  not  regard  it  as  intrusive 
that  I  should  put  before  you,  as  far  as  considerations  of  deli- 
cac}^  and  pi'opriety  allow,  the  views  and  reasons  which  bave 
governed  me  in  the  step  just  taken.  In  ordinary  times,  a 
decent  regard  to  the  personal  consideration  due  to  an  official 
post  may  fairly  be  allowed  to  influence  us  in  such  questions; 
but,  on  occasions  of  public  peril,  everj- thing  should,  in  my 
view,  give  way  to  the  single  consideration  of  the  public  service, 
and  it  is  only  when  this  is  involved  with  considerations  of  self- 
respect  that  the  latter  should  be  at  all  regarded. 

My  conduct,  in  the  present  instance,  has  been  determined 
exclusively  with  reference  to  this  guide.  It  was  only  wdien, 
according  to  my  solemn  convictions,  I  could  no  longer  expect 
to  be  able  to  discharge,  effioiently,  the  important  duties  sup- 
posed to  devolve  upon  me  in  my  official  capacity,  that  I  felt 
myself  at  liberty  to  consult  my  own  feelings  of  self-respect, 
and  withdraw  from  it. 

However  reluctantly   brought    thus   to   the   conclusion,   not 


only  that  I  could  not  eontinne  in  office,  consistently  -with  my 
own  self-respect,  and  that  I  liad  no  guarantee  that  I  should  be 
in  command  of  mj'  troops  when  called  into  the  field,  but  that 
from  my  relations  to  the  Governor  and  ins  views  of  my  duties, 
my  etiicienc'y  would  be  materially  abridged,  if  not  whollj- 
destroyed — setting  aside  all  personal  views  and  feelings,  it  did 
not  appear  to  me  that  I  could  have  any  alternative. 
,  The  annexed  correspondence  will  set  forth,  with  sufficient 
clearness,  the  grounds  from  which  these  conclusions  have  been 
drawn;  and  in  connection  with  that  which  points  to  my  effi- 
ciency and  official  usefulness,  I  would  observe  that  if  the 
Governor  acted  on  the  settled  determination,  as  he  intimates, 
that  he  wonld  not  consult  me  on  public  matters,  nor  receive 
my  opinions,  because  I  had  differed  from  him  on  one  or  two 
occasions  on  which  I  had  been  called  into  council;  if  I  were  to 
be  regarded  as  a  mere  locum  tenens,  and  put,  to  do  duties  only 
ministerial  and  clerical  in  their  character  because,  when  called 
to  counsel,  I  would  not  relinquish,  nierel}^  in  respect  to  station, 
however  exalted,  the  honest  convictions  of  my  judgment;  if, 
more  particularly,  my  urgent  application  for  preparation  for 
the  di^fence  of  Charleston  and  my  plans  of  canying  the  same 
into  effect  were  to  be  rejected  because,  as  Brigadier-General,  I 
had  differed  with  the  Commander-in-Chief  on  former  occasions, 
or  because  my  scheme  for  this  great  work  would  cost  $86,000, 
and  the  treasuiy  could  not  bear  the  expense,  it  is  manifest 
that  my  usefulness  to  those  whom  I  represented  was  materially 
abridged,  if  not  wholly  destroyed.  I  can  understand  that  a 
superior  should  expect  his  views  and  orders  to  be  carried  out 
by  his  subordinate  officers,  without  regard  to  their  approbation 
or  dissent,  hut  I  cannot  understand  that  when  an  officer  is 
called  into  consultation,  it  is  on  condition  that  he  is  not  to  dis- 
sent from  the  conclusions  of  his  supei'ior. 

I  think  that  the  ensuing  correspondence  will  be  better  under- 
stood by  the  statement  of.  some  circumstances  which  do  not 
appear  therein.  On  the  2d  January  last,  Governor  Pickens 
sent  for  me.  I  waited  on  him  immediately.  His  Excellency 
wished  me  to  take  command  forthwith  of  Fort  Moultrie.  I 
replied  that  the  Legislature  would  meet  in  Charleston  the  next 
da}',  pursuant  to  adjournment,  and  that  as  it  involved  the  giving 
up  of  my  office  of  Speaker  of  House  of  Rei:»resentatives  for 
what  I  apprehended  might,  as  to  time,  be  an  ephemeral  com- 


mand,  I  desired  to  consider  my  relations  to  the  State,  whether, 
under  their  double  aspect,  they  would  be  resolved  into  civil  or 
military,  and  requested  some  little  time  for  reflection.  More 
than  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  were  denied  me  for  this  pur- 
pose; when,  after  such  liurried  consideration  as  I  could  give  the 
matter,  I  very  soon  announced  to  him  that  I  had  decided  my 
relations  to  the  State  —  that  they  should  be  military-,  and  I 
would  give  u])  the  Speaker's  office  for  the  comnian(t  of  Fort 
Moultrie;  which  being  said,  he  thanked  me  very  warmh',  and 
then  proceeded  to  give  me  his  commands,  verbal  and  written. 
These  received,  I  instantly  prepared  to  leave  forthwith  for  Fort 
Moultrie,  and  part  of  the  baggage  of  our  staff  was  actually  on 
the  wharf  when  I  received  orders  to  the  effect  that  I  was 
relieved  from  the  command,  and  that  I  should  turn  it  over  to 
the  Adjutant  and  Inspector-General — reason  assigned,  that  ni}^ 
duties  as  Speaker  required  my  attention  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, notwithstanding  that  I  had  already-  decided  that 
question  for  myself. 

.  I  immediately  resigned.  On  the  8th  January  I  withdrew  my 
resignation,  at  the  instance  of  the  Secretary  of  )\\'ar.  General 
.la  mi  son. 

Thenceforward,  I  was  not  penuitted  to  do  any  duty,  except 
of  a  mere  clerical  character.  As  Brigadier-Genei'al,  J  was  not 
informed,  still  less  consulted,  as  to  any  measure  alfecling  the 
movements  or  well-being  of  my  brigade.  M}'  troops  were 
taken  away  from  my  command;  my  regiments  and  even  com- 
panies disintx?grated,  and  sent  oftentimes  I  knew  not  where,  and 
transferred  I  knew  not  to  whose  command.  As  for  myself,  as 
Brigadier-General,  I  might  as  well  have  been  out  of  commis- 
sion; so  that,  when  events  were  converging  to  the  bombard- 
ment of  Fort  Sumter,  I  could  remain  quiet  no  longer,  I  besought 
the  Secrctar}'  of  War  to  let  nae  be  sent  into  service,  and 
requested  my  friend,  Governor  Means,  to  use  his  influence  to 
this  end.  I  learned,  however,  that  the  night  before  1  had  been 
designated  to  the  command  of  Morris'  Island,  to  which  post  T 
instantl}'  repaired. 

Thus  admonished,  from  having  been  with  no  position  which 
allowed  me  to  serve  with  my  brigade,  or  be  useful  to  them  as 
their  commander,  and  fearing  that,  although  holding  the  high 
office  of  Brigadier-General,  I  might  again  have  the  mortifica- 
tion of  seeing  ni}'  brother  officers,  my  troops,  my  friends  and 
relatives  in  the  service  of  the  State,  whilst  1  should   have  to 


6 

remain  a  spectator  of  scenes  in  wliich  I  was  not  allowed  to  par- 
ticipate, I  thought  it  not  onl}'  my  right,  but  my  special  duty  to 
the  brigade,  to  seek  some  certain  assui-ance  that  I  should  have 
a  post  in  the  field,  if  my  brigade,  or  any  part  of  it,  should  again 
be  called  out.  The  correspondence  will  show  that  this  Avas 
satisfactorily  given  me  at  one  time  (IGth  .June),  Avheu  orders 
were  issued  that  my  staff  and  myself  should  put  ourselves  in 
readiness  for  active  duty  from  the  1st  July  to  1st  October;  and 
his  Excellency  informed  me,  by  letter  of  same  date  (IGth  June), 
that  the  orders  were  ''  intended  to  conform,  as  far  as  possible, 
MMth  your  (my)  views  and  desires."  On  the  Ist  of  July  we 
Avere  accordingly  about  to  report  to  the  Adjutant-General  for 
duty,  when,  to  my  utter  surprise,  I  received  orders  direct  from 
the  Grovernor  (letter  2!)th  June)  which,  in  my  opinion,  so  mate- 
rially modified  and  altered  the  arrangements  already  deter- 
mined on  as  to  destroy  the  grounds  of  my  expectation;  and, 
although  1  instantl}-  laid  the  mattei-  before  the  Adjutant-Gene- 
ral in  my  written  communication,  which  was  presented  to  the 
Governor  at  my  instance,  and  requested  to  have  the  matter  set-^ 
tied  on  a  definite  footing,  I  was  wholly  unsuccessful,  and  was 
left  in  as  much  doubt  and  uncertainty  as  before,  although  I 
plainly  requested  that,  if  his  Excellenc}'  had  no  authority  to 
enable  me  efficiently  to  discharge  the  duties  he  called  on  me  to 
perform — if  he  had  given  me  assurances  it  would  embarrass 
him  to  make  good,  or  if  he  had  no  authority  to  assign  me  a 
post  in  the  field,  he  would  frankly  say  so.  Yet  I  got  no  othei- 
reply  to  these  important  inquiries  than  an  argument  against 
pay,  w^hich  has  been  repeated  again  and  again,  as  if  his  Excel- 
lency conceived  that  the  only  object  of  my  staff  and  myself 
was  to  get  pay  from  an  exhausted  treasury,^  which  could  not 
bear  the  draft — confining  himself  to  that,  and  that  alone,  which 
we  regarded  as  the  least  important,  and  omitting  what  was 
in  our  view  of  prime  consequence  and  the  most  urged  by  us. 

For  these  reasons  I  have  felt  myself  constrained  to  retire 
Irom  a  place  which  I  thought  I  could  hold  no  longer  with  a 
px'oper  sense  of  self-respect,  with  usefulni^ss  to  the  brigade  or 
the  city,  or  with  any  reasonable  and  certain  assurance  that  I 
should  be  allowed  to  participate  with  the  troops  when  they 
should  be  called  to  the  honoi-able  defence  of  our  State. 

JAMES   SIMONS, 

Charleston,  S.  0. 


Head-quarters  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M., 
Charleston,  May  30,  1861. 
Your  Excellency  : 

I  have  had  the  honor  to  receive  a  comnuinication  from  you 
through  the  Adjutant-General,  of  date  27th  instant,  in  relation 
to  the  organization  of  the  troops  of  this  brigade,  resident  in 
Charleston,  to  meet  an}'  emergency  that  ma}'  arise  during  the 
summer,  and  authorizing  me  to  take  such  measures  as  my 
judgment  may  direct  to  eflFect  this  end. 

I  had  prepared  the  scheme  enclosed,  when  I  received  a  further 
communication  from  your  Excellency,  through  the  same  chan- 
nel, of  29th  instant,  in  relation  to  taking  the  census  of  tlie 
16  Inf'tiy,  etc.,  etc.  Thfte  latter  is  one  of  the  minor,  althougli 
necessary  details  of  organization,  and  is,  of  course,  included, 
as  you  will  perceive,  in  the  scheme  as  one  of  its  items. 

I  invite  your  Excellency's  attention  to  the  scheme.  It  is  the 
only  effective,  practical  plan,  according  to  my  judgment;  but. 
inasmuch  as  it  embraces  arrangements  and  involves  expendi- 
tures which  do  not  appear  to  have  been  contemplated  when 
your  Excellency's  orders  of  the  27th  were  under  consideration. 
I  would  not,  of  course,  venture  to  proceed  to  the  organization 
until  I  should  lay  it  before  you  for  consideration.  No  organi- 
zation can  be  effective  unless  it  be  practical,  and  hence  a  paper 
organization  is  worse  than  useless,  because  it  has  the  additional 
vice  of  being  delusive.  It  is  only  by  experience  that  discipli- 
nary economy  and  responsibility  in  such  matters  can  possibly 
be  attained. 

You  desired,  in  the  brief  interview  with  which  you  were  so 
kind  as  to  indulge  me  to-day,  to  ask  for  an  estimate  of  the 
expense.  I  am  very  diffident  on  this  subject.  Estimates  seldom 
square  with  results.  After  some  consultation,  however,  I  would 
put  the  cost  of  carrying  into  operation  my  plan,  as  laid  down, 
at  about  $86,000 — presuming  that  only  such  number  of  the 
troops  are  mobilized  at  a  time  as  set  down  in  the  scheme.  This, 
however,  would  necessarily  be  subject  to  modification  and 
change,  according  to  my  judgment  and  discretion. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect,  your  Excellency's 
obedient  servant,  JAMES    SIMONS, 

Brig.-Gen'l  Comnig  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  CM. 
To  his  Excellency,  Governor  Pickens, 

Commander-in-  Chief. 


8 


Head-quarters  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M., 

Charhston,  May  28,  1861. 
Scheme  suggested  for  the  Organization  of  the  Troops  resident  in 
the  City  of  Charleston,  under  the  eommunication  of  his  Excellency 
the  Governor,  of  date  '11th  instant. 

I.  To  inspect  the  Sixteenth  Eegimont  Infantry  (Beats);  to 
make  new,  rigid  and  acenrate  census  of  the  regiment,  and  to 
enrol  the  names  of  persons  liable  to  do  military  duty,  ordinary 
and  extraordinary,  with  their  residences,  so  as  to  be  ready  for 
draft  in  event  of  necessity. 

II.  To  inspect,  thoroughh-,  the  Jfitlc  Regiment,  Regiment 
Artillery  and  Seventeenth  Eegiment,  so  as  to  ascertain — 

1.  The  numerical  force  of  each  com^^any. 

2.  To  distinguish  between  the  regular  members  and  the 
members  ex-honore,  and  to  throw  out  of  calculation  all  those  of 
the  latter  class,  and  either  compel  them  to  join  the  beats  or  be 
enrolled  in  the  volunteer  company  to  which  they  belong,  as 
regular  members,  for  active  service,  ordinary  and  extraordinary. 

III.  To  ascertain  the  organization  of  each  company,  battalion, 
and  regiment — its  officers,  commissioned  and  non-commissioned, 
field,  statf  and  line — and  to  suppl}- the  deficiencies  of  those  not 
provided  in  the  A.  A.  1841,  by  conforming  to  the  provisions  of 
the  A.  A.  1860,  as  cumulative  to  the  former. 

IV.  To  ascertain  what  arms,  implements,  equipments  and 
camp  equipage,  either  their  own  property  or  belonging  to  the 
State,  are  now  in  the  possession  of  the  several  companies,  bat- 
talions or  regiments,  and  what  of  each  are  wanted  and  ought 
to  be  furnished  in  proportion  to  the  force  of  each. 

Y.  To  establish  the  Quai'term aster's  and  Commissary  Depart- 
ments on  a  brigade  footing,  so  as  to  ensure  certaint}^,  uniformity, 
economy,  and  official  responsibility. 

YI.  To  establish  one  or  more  suitable  depots  in  Charleston 
for  the  safe  keeping  of  the  implements,  equipments  and  camp 
equipage  assigned  to  the  command,  to  be  placed  under  the 
charge  of  the  proper  brigade  department,  to  be  ready  in  the 
event  of  any  requisition. 

YII.  Whatever  may  be  taken  from  an}'  company,  being  their 
own  property,  and  consisting  of  any  of  these  articles,  to  be 
kept  separate  from  the  general  property  in  brigade  depot,  for 
the  special  use  of  such  company,  or  be  taken  at  their  value 


9 

(the  company  being  reimbursed),  and  become  the  property  of 
the  State. 

VIII.  To  pi-ovide  vehicles  for  transportation  suitable  in  kind 
and  quality  (as  well  as  number)  for  the  use  of  the  command, 
the  same  to  be  kept  at  the  depots  mentioned  in  No.  A^I.  The 
dc|)6ts  to  be  under  charge  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department, 
with  proper  pay  and  allowance  for  the  care  and  custody. 

IX.  Munitions  for  artillery,  inlantry  and  rifles  to  be  kept  on 
hand,  and  especially  designated  by  the  State  Ordnance  Officer 
for  the  use  of  the  command  or  any  part  of  it  when  called  into 
service,  in  sufllcicnt  quantity  to  answer  any  exigency — so  that 
there  may  be  no  delay  in  procuring  the  same.  The  kind  and 
character  of  the  munitions  for  ordnance  carefully  to  be  adjusted 
and  determined  on  by  the  Ordnance  Officer  on  conference  with 
the  Brigadier-General. 

X.  These  arrangements  being  made,  and  the  organization 
and  equipment,  equipage,  etc.,  being  complete,  a  battalion  roster 
to  be  made  of  the  Seventeenth  Infantry,  Regiment  of  Rifles, 
and  Artillery  Regiment,  and  these  corps  to  be  forthwith  put 
into  the  field  in  active  service,  by  battalions,  according  to  roster, 
preserving  the  regimental  organization,  and  with  the  battalion, 
the  field  and  staff  of  the  regiment  to  be  called  out,  and  this 
service  to  continue  until  the  roster  be  got  through — or  artillery, 
infantry  and  rifles  battalions  together,  as  the  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral may  think  projier :  that  is  to  say,  the  active  service  to 
commence  from  the  time  the  first  battalion  on  the  roster  be 
moved  into  the  field,  and  continue  until  1st  November — making 
three  or  four  weeks'  service  for  each  battalion.  The  field  and 
staft'  of  each  regiment  serving  with  each  battalion  during  the 
whole  term  of  service.  The  brigade  department  to  be  in  service 
during  the  whole  period,  and  the  Brigadier-General  to  command 
the  same  under  the  brigade  organization. 

XI.  The  troops  thus  organized  and  commanded  to  be  under 
the  direction  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  this  State — since 
they  do  not  come  under  the  volunteer  organization  of  A.  A.  1860, 
and  being  under  the  A.  A.  1841,  are  not  to  be  imistered  into  the 
service  of  the  Confederate  States. 

XII.  The  pay  of  the  officers  and  men  to  be  the  same  as  that 
of  the  Confederate  army,  and  to  begin  from  the  time  they 
respectivelj^  go  into  active  service  according  to  the  rostei-,  and 
to  cease  when  relieved. 


10 

XIII.  All  munitions,  equipments  and  camp  equipage,  together 
with  the  pay,  to  be  furnished  by  the  State,  and  to  be  accounted 
for  to  the  State  authorities. 

XIV.  The  troops,  when  called  into  service,  to  bo  under  and 
subject  to  the  like  rules  and  discipline  enforced  and  exercised 
in  the  Confederate  army,  and  in  all  respects  to  be  considered  as 
ordered  into  service  by  the  Commander-in-Chief,  as  in  case  of 
apprehended  invasion,  according  to  the  A.  A.  1841. 

JAMES   SIMONS, 
Brigadier-General  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M. 


ESTIMATE. 

For  transportation,  pay,  etc.,  of  troops $50,000 

For  camp  equipage,  etc 10,000 

For  artillery  horses(if  purchased)  for  one  battery,  $12,500 

For  feed 3,000 

15,500 

Contingencies 10,500 

Probable  expense $86,000 

Note. — At  the  date  of  the  foregoing  scheme,  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  did  not 
form  part  of  the  troops  contemplated  then  to  be  mobilized,  because  I  designed,  in 
the  course  of  the  summer,  with  the  sanction  of  the  Governor  and  the  consent  of 
the  officers  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  (field,  staff  and  line),  to  avail  myself  of  the 
resolution  of  the  Convention  (see  Journal,  page  297)  to  organize  the  independent 
companies  already  in  commission  (if  thej'  would  consent),  together  with  the  Marion 
Rifles  (Captain  Sigwald,  Sixteenth  Regiment),  and  five  or  more  other  companies, 
to  be  raised  in  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  as  a  legion  or  regiment — to  be  engrafted, 
so  to  speak,  on  the  Sixteenth  Regiment.  I  intended  to  propose  that  new  officers 
be  elected  (supposing  the  old,  wao  should  also  be  eligilile  for  re-election,  consent), 
and  that  this  body,  so  organized,  snocld  stand  in  the  place  of  the  Sixteenth  Regi- 
ment, and  do  all  the  duty,  ordinary  and  extraordinary,  of  tuat  regiment  during 
the  war,  or  until  the  Legislature  thought  proper  to  make  other  arrangements. 

I  supposed  that  we  would  raise  thus  from  one  thousand  to  twelve  hundred  effec- 
tive men,  and.  make  a  superb  corps  of  it.  In  consideration  that  a  groat  many 
persons  not  liable  to  ordinary  duty  in  the  Sixteenth  Reginient,  would  thus  be 
relieved  from  being  called  into  the  field,  it  appeared  to  me  that  they  would  take 
pleasure  in  assisting  to  uniform  and  otherwise  equip  tho  new  regiment,  and  thus 
the  force  of  Charleston  would  be  so  increased  and  rendered  effective  by  the  whole 
plan,  that  with  certain  works  in  tho  Ordnance  and  Engineer's  Departments,  which 
I  further  contempla^d,  the  enemy  would  entertain  very  little  hope  of  taking  ven- 
geance on  our  city.  It  will  be  perceived  that  this  would  have  been  a  work  of  some 
time  and  expense,  and  the  mobilization  of  the  other  regiments  could  not  have  been 
kept  back  on  this  account.  I  ought  to  remark  that  the  reason  why  this  machinery 
would  have  to  be  resorted  to  is,  that  a  new  regiment,  of  itself,  cannot  bo  raised  in 
the  existing  condition  of  the  A.  A.  1841,  for  this  brigade.  It  could  only  be  accom- 
plished by  an  Act  of  the  Legislature,  except  through   the  agency  above  mentioned 

J.  S. 


11 


Head-quarters  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M., 
Charleston,  June  5,  1861. 
Your  Excellency  : 

I  had  the  honor  to  transmit  to  3'ou,  on  the  31st  ult.,  a  scheme 
for  the  organization  of  the  troops  of  the  Fourth  Brigade  in 
this  city,  in  pursuance  of  3'onr  orders  to  organize,  dated  27th 
ult.  Several  days  having  elapsed,  I  hope  your  ]']xcellency  will 
•pardon  me  for  requesting  a  reply  to  \\\y  communication.  The 
importance  of  the  subject,  the  public  interest  manifested  in  it, 
and  my  own  personal  responsibility  will,  I  trust,  prove  suffi- 
cient reasons  for  obtruding  myself  on  j^our  Excellency  again. 

Moreover,  I  have  received  several  orders  requiring  attention 
since  those  of  the  27th  ult.,  above  referred  to,  which,  as  it 
appears  to  me,  materially  concern  the  scheme  of  organization, 
and  very  closely  affect  both  the  public  service  and  my  own 
responsibility,  I  trust  this  may  be  regarded  as  a  further  justifi- 
cation of  this  note. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully. 

Your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  SIMONS, 
Brig. -General  Comm'g  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M. 
To  his  Excellency  Governor  Pickens. 


'        State  of  Soufn  Carolina,  Head-quarters, 

June  5,  1861. 
To  General  Simons: 

Sir: — I  r(?ceived  3-ours,  dated  this  instant,  and  hasten  to  say 
that  the  delay  in  m}-  answer  arose  from  constant  engagements 
and  m}'  desire  to  examine  the  details  of  your  plan,  and  particu- 
larly the  estimate  as  to  expenses.  I  have  uot  yet  finally 
decided  as  to  that  part  which  involves  the  expenditure  of 
eighty-six  thousand  dollars,  except  so  far  as  to  say  that,  at 
present,  with  our  exhausted  means,  it  would  be  impossible  to 
encounter  as  large  an  expense  as  that. 

At  present,  I  desire  the  other  orders  executed,  particularly 
as  to  the  census  to  be  taken  by  the  Beat  Captains  in  the  Six- 


12 

tcenth  Eegiment.  and  a  full  roll  made  of  all  men  liable  for 
military  duty,  and  as  thorough  an  organization  of  the  regiment 
as  can  possibly  be  made  for  the  present,  and  after  these  census 
I'eturns  are  made,  and  the  rolls  returned  (which  I  hope  will  be 
as  soon  as  possible),  then  the  companies  must  be  ordered  out 
for  company  drill,  according  to  law,  and  a  full  return  made  of 
the  arms  they  may  have;  and,  at  the  same  time,  I  liope  j'our 
brigade  will  be  put  under  special  orders  to  hold  itself  in  readi- 
ness far  anj^  emergency  that  may  arise  througli  the  summer, 
so  that  we  can  rely  on  it  for  the  defence  of  the  city,  until  other 
troops  are  ordered  to  their  support,  if  any  attack  of  the  enemy 
should  be  made  or  threatened.  F.  W.  PICKENS. 


Charleston,  June  10,  1861. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

I  had  hoped  to  have  had  a  further  interview  with  you  before 
you  left  Charleston,  but  being  disappointed,  I  must  ask  the 
favor  of  you  to  allow  me  this  means  of  further  communication. 

I  am  progressing  with  the  arrangements  of  the  volnnteer 
troops  and  Sixteenth  Eegiment  (Beats),  under  your  orders. 
There  are  twentj-five  companies,  and  a  competent  inspection, 
to  ascertain  what  they  have  and  what  they  want,  as  the}'  are 
not  brought  together  in  camp,  will  take  a  long  time,  and  be 
very  laborious.  Further  arrangements  consequent  upon  these 
inspections  will  require  no  less  labor,  industry  and  zeal.  You 
showed  me  the  orders  you  had  written  preparatory  to  j^our 
leaving.  Among  the  plans  it  was  stipulated  that  Col.  Ander- 
son, in  the  event  of  necessity,  should  call  on  me  foi^ troops.  At 
this  point  I  inquired  of  you  whether  it  was  designed  that  my 
troops  should  be  disintegrated,  as  they  had  been  on  former 
occasions,  company  by  company,  and  taken  from  mj'  command, 
until  the  last 'anoment.  I  said  that  if  I  were  to  be  put  to  all 
the  labor  and  responsibility  of  the  organization  and  prepara- 
tion, and  had  to  incur  all  the  odium  of  enforcing  duty  and 
imposing  punishment  for  the  neglect  of  it,  I  hoped  I  would  be 
put  into  s.'rvice  with  the  troops,  or  any  portion  of  them,  on 
their  first  call.  You  were  kind  enough  to  assure  me,  unquali- 
fiedly, that  such  would  be  the  case.     I   even  proposed,  if  it 


13 

Avoiild  relieve  you  ft-om  embarrassment,  to  waive  rank  to  Col. 
Anderson,  for  as  lie  was  a  regular  officer,  I  felt  that  it  might  be 
a  proper  and  becoming  concession  under  such  circumstances. 

In  consideration,  therefore,  of  the  labor  and  responsibility  I 
am  now  undergoing,  I  would  request  you  to  put  me,  witb  my 
staff,  under  orders  for  immediate  active  service  and  duty.  I 
will  thus  have  authority  and  be  able  to  enforce  obedience  in 
the  oi-ganization  you  have  ordered.  I  will  also  be  enabled  to 
avail  myself  of  your  assurance  that  I  should  aecomjian}^  any 
of  the  corps  of  my  brigade  that  may  be  ordered  into  the  field. 
And,  moreover,  I  can  have  the  services  of  the  staff  for  the 
organization,  which  it  is  scarcely  reasonable  to  expect  under 
other  circumstances.  If  I  cannot  offer  an}"  expectation  of  ser- 
vice to  these  gentlemen,  surely  I  cannot  ask  them,  at  the  entire 
sacrifice  of  their  own  business  and  their  personal  convenience, 
to  unite  with  me  in  a  work  that  rccpiires  private  expense,  labor 
and  responsibility,  and  it  may  be  will  incur  odium,  whilst  it 
offers  no  active  and  honorable  participation  in  the  great  work 
of  the  defence  of  the  State. 

The  objection  to  this  proposition  may  be  the  expense  of  the 
pa^^  Yet  I  apprehend  such  arrangements  can  be  made  on  that 
head,  as  to  obviate  much  of  Ifhat  difficult}'         « 

I  would  say  something  more  as  to  the  scheme  of  organization 
which  I  laid  before  you.  I  find  it  gives  general  satisfaction  to 
officers  and  citizens,  and  if  you  will  begin  the  experiment,  I 
will  use  every  effort  to  practice  rigid  economj^  and  to  enforce 
exact  accountability  in  all  the  departments. 

I  am  anxious  to  see  Charleston  adequately  prepared  for  de- 
fence, but  I  feel  sure  that  nothing  can  be  effectual  to  this  end 
that  is  not  practical,  and  it  is  impossible  to  put  troops  on  a  war 
footing  without  expense. 

You  will  find  my  excuse,  I  hope,  for  troubling  you,  in  the 
general  interest  manifested  by  our  citizens  at  this  time,  in  the 
subject  of  the  defence  of  Charleston,  Avhich,  in  a  military  point 
of  view,  we  regard  the  key  of  the  State. 

Without  further  apology,  and  hoping  to  hear  from  you 
shortly, 

I  am,  very  respectfully. 

And  truly  yours, 

JAMES  SIMONS. 
To  Ilis  Excellency  Governor  F.  W.  Pickens, 
Edgefield  C.  H.,  S.  C 


14 


State  of  South  Carolina,  Head-quarters, 
June  IQtK  1861. 
My  Dear  Sir  : 

I  received  yours  on  1113'  return  from  ni}-  Savannah  river  jtlacc 
a  few  days  ago,  and  would  have  answered,  but  for  the  great 
pressure  upon  my  time.  *         *         *         *         *         *         * 

******  But  it  still  behooves  us  to  be 
thoroughl}' prepared  for  any  emergency  that  may  occur;  and 
to  keep  the  fine  military  forces  of  Charleston  in  projier  order 
for  any  immediate  call  that  may  be  made,  I  princiiially  i-ciy 
upon  you  this  summer.  I  have  never  seen  in  an}-  country, 
better  drilled  companies  than  are  your  volunteer  companies  of 
Charleston.  They  are  equal  to  any  men  in  the  world,  and  I 
feel  assured  that  ^-ou  will  be  able  to  keep  in  check  an}-  force 
that  may  threaten  you  during  the  sickly  season.  *  *  * 
:!:  *  *  /  *  *  *  *  *  *  I  have  sent  an 
order  to  Gen.  Gist  in  relation  to  yourself  and  staff,  a  copy  of 
vv^hich  I  enclose  to  you,  which  is  intended  to  conform,  as  far  as 
possible,  to  your  views  and  desires.  I  allowed  j^ou  a  special 
clerk  for  three  months  also,  with  pay  at  fifty  dollars  per  month. 
You  will  excuse  me  in  m^-  desire  to  practice  rigid  economy,  for 
the  State  finances  greatly  require  it,  and  I  sincerely  hope  there 
is  no  danger  to  us  at  present;  but  if  things  change,  and  I  see 
any  danger,  I  shall  not  only  be  with  you  immediately,  but 
shall  spare  no  expenditure  then  to  meet  any  event  that  may 
threaten.  I  shall  be  at  Columbia  as  soon  as  there  is  any  neces- 
sity, so  as  to  be  within  striking  distance  of  Charleston.  At 
present  I  onl}^  wait  events  in  Virginia,  to  shape  my  course 
more  definitely  for  the  summer.  I  think  in  about  ten  days  we 
may  expect  a  decided  turn  to  matters  in  Virginia,  and  perhaps 
if  advance  parties  come  into  conflict,  they  may  force  on  at  an 
earlier  day  a  decided  battle. 

Yours,  very  respectfullj^ 

F.  W.  PICKENS. 
To  Gen.  Simons. 


Note. — It  is  necessary  to  omit  some  parts  of  this  letter  which  concern  public 
affairs  and  the  movements  of  certain  tn.ops  in  Virginia  and  in  this  State,  but  in  no 
wise  affecting  the  subject  of  this  correspondence.  J.  S. 


15 


(Copy.)  State  of  South  Carolina,  Head-quarters, 

June  \Qt1u  1861. 
To  Adjutant-General  Gist: 

Sir: — You  Avill  order  General  Simons  and  staff  to  put  them- 
selves in  readiness  for  active  duty  from  the  1st  of  July  to  the 
1st  of  October,  and  direct  General  Simons  to  put  his  brigade 
into  thoi'ough  oi'ganization  upon  the  plan  suggested  in  the  last 
orders  issued  just  before  I  left  Charleston,  and  if  any  portion 
of  the  troops  in  his  brigade  shall  bo  called  out  under  requisi- 
tions or  orders  from  Colonel  Anderson,  commanding,  they  shall 
be  under  pay;  and  if  there  shall  be  two  or  more  battalions  thus 
called  out,  it  will  be  understood  that  General  Simons  shall  be 
in  their  actual  command,  subject  to  concert  of  action  Avith 
Colonel  Anderson,  and  to  be  assigned  to  position  by  the  direc- 
tion of  Colonel  Anderson,  and  in  no  event  is  Colonel  Anderson 
to  be  superseded  in  his  command  for  the  summer,  except  by 
special  orders  from  head-quarters.  No  portion  of  Gen.  Simons' 
brigade,  however,  to  be  considered  in  active  service  unless 
some  threatened  emergency  shall  occur,  and  if  there  should  be 
need.  Colonel  Anderson  will  immediately  make  his  requisitions 
upon  General  Simons,  and  send  a  notice  of  the  same  to  head- 
quarters.    Serve  a  copy  of  this  order  on  Colonel  Anderson. 

P.  W.  PICKENS. 


State  of   South  Carolina,  Head-Quarters, 

JxL7ie  29th,  1861. 
To  Brigadier-General  Simons  : 

Sir: — I  hope  you  and  your  staff  do  not  consider  yourselves 
under  pay  for  three  months,  unless  in  actual  service.  I  issued 
an  order  to  call  your  staff  into  service,  to  be  under  your  com.- 
niand,  if  you  desired  them  to  aid  j^ou  particularly  in  any  duty 
connected  with  the  organization  of  your  brigade,  under  the 
special  orders  I  had  issued.  Of  course,  it  will  not  take  the 
whole  three  months  to  execute  those  orders,  and  if  there  is  no 
invasion  to  make  it  necessary  to  call  them  into  active  service 


16 

on  the  ticld,  then  tliey  will  not  receive  pay.  I  am  willing,  as 
long  as  you  may  have  tliem  with  yourself,  actually  engaged  in 
active  daily  service,  to  the  neglect  of  their  business,  and  on 
expense,  to  allow  the  ordinary  pa}',  Avithout  extras.  But  I 
hope  this  will  not  be  longer  than  one  month  at  farthest,  and 
that  by  that  time  ever\'tliiiig  will  be  held  under  your  organiza- 
tion in  such  a  position  that  3'ou  can  easily  bring  them  out  on 
any  emergency,  without  the  necessity  of  keeping  them  on  pay 
all  the  time.  Of  course,  I  must  leave  a  great  deal  to  your  dis- 
cretion ;  but  I  feel  assured  that  you  are  as  much  interested  as 
I  am  in  causing  no  expense  to  our  State  but  what  is  absolutely 
necessary.  I  hope  you  will  appreciate  this  note,  as  it  is  intend- 
ed to  prevent  confusion  hereafter.  I  have  ordered  Colonel 
Heyward's  Regiment  into  encampment,  and  without  pay,  and 
so,  too,  of  Colonel  Mauigault's ;  and  I  have  issued  orders  for  a 
reorganization  of  the  old  Militia  Regiments  throughout  the 
countiy  districts,  and  so  forth,  without  pay. 

Very  respectfully  and  truly,  yours, 

F.  W.  PICKENS. 


Head-quarters,  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M., 
Charleston,  July  1,  1861. 
General  : 

Understanding,  at  our  interview  this  morning,  that  you  are 
about  to  visit  the  Governor,  I  beg  to  call  j^our  attention  to  the 
present  condition  of  my  orders. 

On  the  10th  June  I  addressed  the  Governor  a  letter,  copy  of 
which  I  have  sent  to  you.  In  that  communication . I  requested 
that  the  Governor  would  put  my  statf  and  myself  on  active 
duty. 

First.  To  give  me  the  prestige  of  authority  to  enforce  his 
orders  for  the  organization  of  the  troops  of  Charleston,  and 
to  put  them  on  an  efficient  footing  for  active  duty  in  the  field. 

Second.  To  enable  my  staff  and  myself  to  discharge  these 
laborious  and  responsible  functions  without  sacrifice  of  our 
time  and  pi-ivate  business  at  actual  personal  expense;  and, 


IT 

Third.  To  enable  us  to  realize  his  assurance  that  our 
troops  would  not  be  disintegrated,  company  by  eompan}-,  as 
heretofore,  without  us;  but  that  whenever  any  part  of  them 
were  called  out,  I  should  be  put  in  actual  command  of  them. 

On  the  16th  June  the  Governor  replied  to  me  satisfactorily, 
and  sent  me  orders  of  the  same  date,  of  which  he  transmitted 
you  a  copy,  requiring  you  to  charge  the  staff  and  mj-self  to 
pre2:)are  for  active  duty  from  1st  July  to  Ist  October. 

You  did  not  think  anj''  further  order  from  3'ou  necessary  to 
carry  this  arrangement  into  effect;  but  told  me  to  consider  the 
staff  and  mj'self  on  dutj^  on  the  1st  July. 

With  this  direction  I  called  my  staff  about  me.  Two  fcn- 
tlemen  have  come  to  the  city,  from  their  residence  in  the 
country,  and  all  of  them  have  arranged  their  business  in  pur- 
suance of  the  Grovernor's  orders  of  IGth  June. 

To  raj'  surprise,  I  received  this  morning  the  communication 
from  the  Governor  of  date  2yth  June,  exhibited  to  you  to-day. 

I  must  ask  the  favor  of  you,  in  your  visit  to  the  Governor,  to 
have  the  matter  definitely  settled  on  a  certain  footing.  1  have 
suggested  the  points  on  Avhich  I  have  put  my  application  to 
the  Governor. 

If  the  Governor  has  called  upon  me  to  discharge  military 
duties  which  he  has  no  power  to  enable  me  efficiently  to  per- 
form ;  if  he  have  given  me  assurances  which  would  embar- 
rass him  in  fxny  way,  as  the  Executive,  to  make  good ;  if  he 
have  no  authority  to  assign  me  a  post  in  the  field  if  my  troops 
be  called  into  service,  now  is  the  time  frankly  to  apprehend 
it,  that  there  may  be  no  misunderstanding  hereafter. 

It  concerns  every  officer  to  apprehend  his  position  j^erfectly. 
For  the  last  six  months  I  have  been  permitted  to  do  little  more 
than  transmit  orders,  and,  certainly,  except  with  a  sli<'-ht  inter- 
val, wiulst  in  command  at  Morris'  Island,  exercised  none  of 
the  powers  of  a  Brigadier-General.  I  seek  nothing  moi-e  now 
than  what  appeal's  to  me  to  be  due  to  my  civil  and  military 
station  and  services  in  the  State. 

1  cannot  disguise  from  myself  that  I  hold  the  third  rank, 
both  civil  and  military,  in  this  Commonwealth,  and  whilst  I 
occupy  them  I  will  not  cease  to  consider  what  is  due  to  them. 

You  will  not  be  surprised,  then,  that  under  these  circum- 
stances, and  at  my  time  of  life,  I  desire  to  understand  with 
certainty  and  distinctness,  the  terms  on  which  I  am  to  be 
2 


18 

treated  and  considered  by  the  Executive,  in  devoting  my  ser- 
vices to  the  public. 

I  am,  Genci'al.  with  much  esteem. 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 

JAMES  SIMONS, 
Brigadier- General  Fourth  Brigade,  S.  C.  M. 
To  Adjutant  and  Inspector-General  Gist. 


State  of  South  Carolina,  Heap-quarters, 

JulyCith,  1861. 
To  Brigadier-General  Simons,  Charleston: 

Sir  : — General  Gist  read  to  me  yesterday  your  communication 
to  him,  and  mentioned  your  request  that  it  should  be  laid 
before  me. 

A  Brigadier-General  accepts  his  office  with  the  condition 
implied  of  performing  all  its  duties  according  to  usual  custom. 
It  has  always  been  a  leading  duty  of  a  Brigadier^Gencral  of 
South  Carolina  Militia  either  to  keep  his  brigade  thoroughly 
organized,  or  if  it  should  not  be  so,  then  it  is  his  general  duty 
to  have  it  thoroughly  reorganized,  ready  for  service.  The 
orders  issued  to  you  were  intended  to  carry  out  these  general 
duties.  But  as,  from  peculiar  circumstances,  your  brigade  had 
become  more  disorganized  than  usual,  I  was  desirous  of  having 
it  put  in  superior  order  for  any  emergency  that  might  arise, 
particularly  as  the  volunteer  corps  were  so  well  armed  and 
drilled.  I  therefore  issued  the  special  order  as  to  yourself  and 
staff,  relating  to  your  pay. 

I  still  think  one  month's  pay  sufficient  to  effect  all  purpose 
beyond  your  ordinary  duties,  which,  as  Brigadier-General,  you 
would  perform  at  any  rate,  and  hereby  beg  that  3'ou  will  not 
extend  the  order  for  pay  of  your  staff  beyond  one  month  in 
active  service,  unless  further  exigency  shall  arise,  calling  for 
active  duties  in  the  field,  and  in  that  case  you  will  be  informed 
accordingly.     If  I  were  to  adopt  any  other  rule,  it  would  fur- 


19 

nish  a  precedent,  and  I  would  have  claims  from  every  brigade 
in  the  State  presented  for  more  or  less  time  occupied  by  dif- 
ferent officers  in  their  ordinary  duties.  We  are  in  the  midst 
of  revolution  and  war,  and  all  must  submit  to  greater  calls 
upon  their  time  than  ^n  ordinary  times.  Take  my  own  office 
for  example — my  whole  time  is  occupied,  and  the  pay  does  not 
cover  one-thitd  of  the  expenses,  not  to  calculate  that  I  have 
not  a  daj^  for  my  private  business. 

I  would  most  respectfully  suggest  that  a  new  volunteer  regi- 
ment be  formed  out  of  the  Sixteenth,  and  that  the  volunteer 
corps,  now  independent  of  the  Seventeenth,  or  the  Rifle  or  Ar- 
tillery Regiments,  all  join  this  new  volunteer  regiment.  I  shall 
address  a  suggestion  to  Captains  Carew,  G.  S.  Hacker,  General 
Martin,  and  Captain  Jeffords,  who  obtained  permission  to  raise 
independent  volunteer  companies. 

But  I  would  be  glad  if  you  would  give  me  the  outlines,  as 
briefly  as  possible,  of  your  plans.  I  think  if  you  adopt  what  I 
suggest,  that  you  will  then  have  a  very  efficient  bi-igade  of  the 
best  material.  This  new^volunteer  regiment  out  of  the  Six- 
teenth, and  then  the  Seventeenth,  and  the  Rifle  and  the  Artil- 
lery Regiments,  will  give  you  four  noble  regiments  that  might 
be  relied  upon  in  any  service,  and  which  would  make  Charles- 
ton feel  quite  secure. 

With  the  highest  respect,  yours,  etc., 

F.  W.  PICKENS. 


Charleston,  July  10th,  1861. 
Your  Excellency : 

I  have  received  your  letters  of  the  29th  June  and  6th  July, 
and  ask  leave  to  reply  that  I  may  be  put  right  on  the  record. 

1  regret  that  you  should  have  found  it  necessary  in  the  latter, 
to  instruct  me  as  to  the  general  obligations  and  duties  of  a 
Militia  Brigadier-General.  None  of  your  predecessors  have 
found  anj'thing  in  my  official  conduct  which  would  subject  me 
to  the  imputation  either  of  ignorance  or  delinquency^  I  cannot 
suppose  you  designed  any  such  suggestion,  yet  it  appears  to 
me  that  the  tenor  of  your  observations  would  naturally  be  in- 


20 

terprcted  to  ijiiport  that  iiiouniiig.  I  liavc  thought  it  necessary 
to  say  so  much  on  this  head,  and  I  now  proceed  with  all  be- 
coming deference  to  your  person  and  high  office,  to  set  forth 
the  true  position  which  I  have  claimed  for  myself  and  my  staft'. 
I  desired  my  letter  to  the  Adjutant-Ueneral  to  be  laid  before 
yon,  that  it  might  be  answered  in  such  a  mannai*  that  I  would 
know  my  position  now  and  in  the  future.  I  desired  that  my 
staff  and  mj-self  should  be  put  into  active  service  on  these 
three  grounds  clearly  stated  : 

1.  To  give  me  the  prestige  of  authority  to  enforce  command 
in  the  organization. 

2.  To  relieve  them  and  myself  from  devoting  our  whole  time 
and  sei'vice  to  the  country  at  our  own  expense. 

3.  To  have  the  assurance  that,  when  the  troops  should  be 
called  into  service,  we  might  participate  with  them  in  the 
honorable  defence  of  the  country. 

You  have  required  me  to  put  the  brigade  on  a  footing  for 
active  service  in  the  field,  to  wit:  on  a  war-footing.  The 
militia  law  nowhere  provides  foi»  such  an  organization  or 
arrangement,  or  for  the  discharge  of  any  such  service  by  man 
or  officer.  1  made  no  question  on  the  law,  but  only  desired 
that  in  carrying  that  plan  into  execution  I  and  my  staff  should 
occupy  the  same  condition  that  any  other  officer  would  in 
actual  service. 

You  have  not  noticed  cither  the  first  or  third  points. 

You  give  me  no  satisfactory  assurance  that  1  shall  be  per- 
mitted to  serve  witli  the  ti'oops  after  1  have  organized  them, 
but  you  confine  yourself  to  the  matter  of  pay,  as  if  the  gentle- 
men of  my  staff  and  myself — gentlemen  of  the  highest  rcspect- 
abilil^^  in  the  city  and  State — were  actuated  by  no  higher  or 
more  honorable  motive  than  the  sordid  stimulus  of  pay.  A 
casual  reader  of  your  two  letters  would  naturally  infer  that 
you  were  resisting  a  hard  or  unconscionable  bargain  of  some 
public  claimant,  rather  than  that  you  were  replying  to  officers 
who  were  anxious  to  do  their  duty  and  wei'c  only  seeking 
justice  and  their  common  rights.  It  is  here  that  wo  wish  to 
be  put  right  on  the  record;  we  wish  to  keep  it  before  your 
mind,  that  we  are,  at  least,  as  Bolicitous  to  have  an  assurance 
that  we  should  share  in  the  defence  of  our  country  as  to  draw 
our  pay  or  enjoy  the  prestige  of  authority. 

I  hojDC;  however,  to  give  your  Excellency  no  further  trouble, 


21 

as  I  have  tendered  my  resignation  to  the  Major-Gen eral,  and 
trust  he  will  have  3'our  sanction  for  accepting  it. 

I  have  been  compelled  tj  resort  to  this  measure  in  self- 
respect,  and  you  will  permit  me  to  detail  some  of  the  causes 
which  have  led  to  it. 

From  the  8th  January,  18G1,  to  27th  May,  ultimo,  except 
during  the  short  period  I  commanded  at  Morris'  Island,  you 
suffered  me  to  do  no  more  than  merely  to  copy  and  transmit 
3'our  orders;  anj^  clever  oi'derly  could  have  done  the  same. 

Although  I  was  on  the  s])ot,  and  third  in  rank  to  yourself, 
you  never  consulted  me  as  to  any  movements  or  measures  in 
which  my  troops,  compan}'  by  company,  were  taken  from  rac 
and  employed  b}-  you,  nor  in  any  manner  treated '  me  as  a 
general  officer,  except  when  I  was  sent  to  Morris'  Island.  In 
the  midst  of  revolution,  and  whilst  the  enemj'  were  at  our 
gates,  I  lost  sight  of  self  and  remamed  a  silent  spectator  of 
the  scenes  in  which  I  was  not  allowed  to  participate. 

On  the  27th  May.  ultimo,  you  directed  me  to  organize  and 
arrange  the  troops  for  active  service,  and  to  take  such  measiircs 
as  my  judgment  might  direct  to  effect  this  end.  I  then  hoiied 
you  were  about  to  recognize  ni}'^  rank  and  to  permit  me  to 
exercise  authority  consistent  with  my  station. 

I  was  disappointed.  The  next  day  after  committing  this 
matter  to  my  judgment — to  wit:  on  the  28th  May — you  or- 
dered, through  me,  a  general  court-martial  in  my  brigade.  I 
called  on  you  and  ventured,  deferentially,  to  urge  that  in  my 
ojMnion  there  were  legal  and  political  grounds  of  objection  to 
the  court.  You  disregarded  my  opinion;  3'ou  had  a  right  to  do 
so,  and  I  do  not  complain  of  that;  but  you  said  that  Colonel 
DeSaussurc  approved  it,  and  you  subsequently  insisted  on  the 
execution  of  the  order.  Colonel  DeSaussurc  was  a  junior  field 
officer,  and  however  much  he  was  entitled  to  our  mutual  con- 
sideration and  respect,  I  think  it  without  precedent  that  the 
Commander-in-Chief  should  throw  into  the  teeth  of  one  of  his 
general  officers  the  opposite  opinion  of  a  lieutenant-colonel  of 
that  General's  command. 

I  passed  this  over,  also,  m  silence,  but  in  mortification. 

On  the  29th  May,  you  directed  me  simply  "  to  extend  "  an 
order  on  the  subject*  of  the  organization  of  the  Sixteenth  l^egi- 
ment,  which  order  was  included  in  quotation  marks,  and  left 
me  no  discretion  but  to  follow  its  very  terms.     Notwithstand- 


22 

ing  3-ou  had  put  tliiit  8iibjeft  under  my  charge,  to  be  managed 
as  m}^  judgment  "miglit  direct" — and  notwithstanding,  too, 
that  the  order  prescribed  ministerial  matter,  the  execution  of 
which  was  peculiarly  within  my  own  jurisdiction,  and  was  em- 
braced in  the  same  general  duties  which  3^ou  afRrna  in  3'our 
letter  of  6th  instant,  belonged  by  law  to  my  oflSce ;  thus 
depriving  me,  even  in  so  small  a  matter,  of  the  discretion  not 
onlj^  vested  in  me  by  the  law  itself,  but  indeed  by  the  terms  of 
your  own  order  of  27th  May. 

Further,  ^fter  mature  reflection,  I  submitted  to  you,  on  the 
31st  May,  a  scheme  for  carrj-ing  into  effect  your  orders  of  the 
27th,  with  an  estimate  of  the  expense.  To  this  day  you  have 
given  me  no  reply  on  the  merits  of  the  scheme,  but  simply 
objected  tliat  at  present  there  was  not  enough  in  the  treasury 
to  meet  the  expense. 

Moreover,  I  was  astoniBhed  to  find,  from  j^our  order  of  29th 
June,  which  1  procured  from  the  Adjutant-General's  office,  that 
you  have  ordered  Captain  Jeffords'  Company  of  Mounted 
Eiflemen  to  he.  received  as  an  Independent  Volunteer  Company. 
You  had  before  this  organized  in  my  brigade  four  other  com- 
panies, wholly  independent  of  any  legal  organization,  and  not 
subject  to  my  orders,  without  an}'  notice  to,  or  consultation 
with  me  "wdiatever.  Against  your  action  in  these  cases  I  have 
kept  silent.  On  this  Jast  occasion,  however,  although  you 
communicated  with  mo  on  the  very  day  (June  29)  that  3^ou 
made  the  order  above  meiitioned,  yet  so  far  from  consulting 
me,  you  did  not  even  apprize  me  of  j^our  action.  You  were 
informed  by  the  application  of  Captain  Jeffords  that  a  large 
portion  of  his  company  was  "drawn  from  the  Beat"  (meaning, 
of  course,  the  Sixteenth  Eegiment,  part  of  my  command),  3'et 
you  have  ordered  that  his  company  be  received,  to  be  inde- 
pendent of.my  command,  without  even  giving  me  notice  of 
your  action,  to  say  nothing  of  not  asking  my  opinion  as  com- 
mander of  the  brigade.     I  ought  not  longer  to  be  silent.' 

Finally,  I  will  add  a  word  for  the  defence  of  the  staff  and 
myself  We  did  not  desire  to  hold  our  places  for  the  mere 
honor  of  office;  but  we  wished  to  serve  our  country  in  her  hour 
of  peril,  according  to  the  best  of  our  ability.  We  have  sought 
in  vain  for  a  satisfactory  assurance  that  we  would  enjoy  this 
right  and  privilege  in  common  with  the  troops.  We  have 
urged  you  to  declare  it  at  once,  if  you  hav«  no  power  to  make 


23 

good  such  an  assurance  to  us,  if  you  could  not  assign  us  a  post 
in  the  field  to  say  so.  Yet  you  have  preserved  silence  on  the 
point  of  greatest  interest  to  us,  and  have  replied  to  that  which 
is  of  least  moment. 

I  have,  therefore,  decided  that  I  cannot  longer  remain  in  my 
present  oflSce;  and  in  this  the  staff  unanimously  concur,  and 
resign  also.  Their  names  are  below,  and  you  will  not  be 
unacquainted  Avith  them. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully. 

Your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  SIMONS. 

To  llis  Excellency,  Governor  F.  W.  Pickens, 
Comviander-in-  Ch  ief, 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


STAFF  FOURTH  BEIGADE. 

General  James  Sjmons,   Bn'tjadier- General. 

Major  Ed.  N.  Thurston,  Brigade  Inspector-General. 

Major  J.  J.  Pringle  Alston,  Brigade  Judge  Advocate. 

Captain  Motte  A.  Pringle,  Brigade   Quartermaster- General. 

Captain  Caspar  A.  Ciiisolm,  Aidc-de-Camp. 

Captain  J.  Calhoun  Cain,  Aid e-de- Camp. 


State  of  South  Carolina,  Head-quarters, 
July  11th,  1861. 
To  Brigadier-General  Simons  : 

Sir : — I  received  j^ours  this  moment,  dated  10th  instant,  and 
hasten  to  say  that  I  regi'ct  your  resignation,  and  still  more  the 
grounds  upon  which  you  put  it.  Nothing  was  further  from  me 
than  to  instruct  you  as  to  the  general  obligations  of  your  office, 


24 

but  merely  said  what  I  did  by  way  of  illustration,  as  to  Avhat 
we  all  had  to  lose  in  a  revolution,  by  devoting  more  of  our  time 
than  usual  to  the  duties  of  the  offices  we  accept.  I  then  tried 
to  express  myself,  so  as  to  embrace  what  I  thought  were  or- 
dinarj^  duties,  and  what  might  be  considered  as  exti-a  duties, 
and  desired  to  say  that  I  Avas  more  than  willing  to  allow  pay 
for  the  cxti-a  duties  that  might  be  encountered,  but  even  then 
did  not  make  it  positive,  but  only  ex])resscd  the  o])inioii  that 
a  month's  time  onl}"  would  be  required  for  the  extra  tluties, 
that  is  for  more  than  what  might  be  considered  the  ordi- 
nary or  common  duties  of  your  office.  This  was  neccssaiy  to 
explain  the  difference  between  us,  merely  as  to  the  estimate 
of  time,  j-ou  having  intimated  that  it  would  require  the  whole 
of  the  three  months.  I  did  not  even  make  my  estimate  posi- 
tive, but  intimated  the  time,  and  surely  I  could  have  no  other 
object  than  the  public  interest,  for  the  State  had  already  incur- 
red very  heavy  expenses.  It  was  done  with  no  desire  to  inform 
you  of  what  virere  your  duties,  but  to  illustrate  what  I  had  in- 
timated. As  to  3"0ur  comjjlaint  that  I  did  not  indicate  what 
your  position  w^ould  be,  if  an}'^  of  your  forces  were  called  into 
active  service,  the  reason  that  I  did  not  mention  it  again  was, 
that  I  had  before,  in  my  communication  dated  about  Juno  17th, 
distinctly  stated  that  if  tioo  or  more  battalions  were  called  out 
by  Colonel  Anderson,  you  would  be  put,  with  your  staff,  in 
command,  and  I  knew  this  itself  was  not  a  brigadier's  com- 
mand, but  I  knew  also  that  other  troops  besides  these  would  be 
also  in  the  field,  and  3'our  position  would  rank  so  as  to  com- 
mand them  all.  Without  this  your  under  officers  wouM  claim 
their  special  commands. 

You  complain  that  I  throw  up  to  you  the  opinion  of  Colonel 
DeSaussure,  as  in  favor  of  a  Court-Martial,  against  your  opinion, 
and  that  he  was  your  junior.  I  thought  that  you  had  intima- 
ted there  was  no  call  or  necessity  for  a  Court-Martial,  and  I 
said  "yes,  there  were  many  who  desired  it,"  ami  mentioned,  I 
think,  Captain  Pope  and  Colonel  DeSaussure,  because  T  sup- 
posed them  good  officers  and  well  informed,  but  with  no  view 
at  all,  I  assure  you,  to  thi-ow  into  your  face  the  "o})inion"  of 
one  of  your  inferior  officers. 

As  to  3^our  complaint  of  my  not  consulting  you  in  all  impor- 
tant matters  this  last  winter,  although  3'ou  say  you  wore  the 
third  person  in  rank,  I  think  upon  further  reflection,  you  will 


25 

hardly  think  anything  of  that,  for  you  know  I  did  consult  you 
at  first,  and  called  you  and  Major-General  Schnierle,  and  other 
officers,  into  my  room  at  the  "Mills  House,"  expi'essly  to  con- 
sult immediately  after  Major  Anderson  moved  into  Sumter,  and 
that  you  there,  in  the  presence  of  ''junior  officers,"  differed 
widely  with  me  in  everything  I  had  done,  and  even  demanded 
to  know  by  what  authority  I  had  assumed  to  put  out  guard- 
boats  in  the  harbor,  to  watch  and  report  any  movement;  and 
you  also  said  that  Major  Anderson  had  done  exactly  right,  and 
the  only  wonder  with  you  was  that  he  had  not  long  before  fired 
into  my  boats,  and  you  even  appeared  to  lecture  me  as  to  my 
duties.  And,  again,  I,  after  that,  called  you  to  my  room  earl^' 
in  the  morning  after  Major-General  Schnierle  was  taken  ill, 
and  you  then  differed  widely  with  me.  You  afterward,  about 
the  29th  day  of  December  last,  made  a  regular  military  protest 
against  everything  I  had  done  or  prepared  to  do,  and  demanded 
a  "  Council  of  "War."  On  the  3d  of  January  last,  I  endorsed 
on  the  back  of  your  demand  for  a  "Council  of  War,"  that  "I 
would  agree  to  no 'Council  of  War' that  would  drive  me  to 
any  such  conclusions."  These  Avere  important  points  in  our 
early  intercourse,  and  on  the  most  vital  issues  as  to  policy;  I 
had  made  up  ni}'^  mind,  and  to  have  consulted  further  with  you 
then  would  only  have  added  to  our  differences,  and  produced 
disorganization  when  everything  depended  on  unity  of  council 
and  action.  Besides,  in  a  few  days  afterward,  tlie  Convention 
called  upon  me  to  appoint  a  "Council  of  Safety."  And  I  then 
deemed  it  more  prudent  to  council  with  those  whom  the  Con- 
vention called  upon  me  to  appoint. 

As  to  the  permission  to  Captain  Jeffords  to  raise  an  inde- 
pendent company,  you  will  find,  if  3'ou  will  examine  again  the 
Adjutant-General's  office  more  pai-ticularly,  that  I  considered 
the  organization  of  this  corps,  as  requested,  to  be  under  the 
resolutions  of  the  Convention,  which  provided  for  raising  inde- 
pendent companies  in  the  parishes  of  the  sea-coast,  on  certain 
conditions.  When  the  Adjutant-General  inquired  of  me,  in  a 
communication  dated  the  Gth  day  of  July,  if  this  corps  was 
first  required  to  comply  with  the  conditions  of  the  Convention, 
I  replied,  under  date  of  the  7th  of  July,  "  Of  course.  Captain 
Jeffords  must  comply  with  the  conditions  in  the  resolutions 
of  the  Convention."  Now,  one  of  those  conditions  was  the 
express  consent  of  the  officers  commanding  the  organizations 


26 

to  which  they  belonged,  and  before  that  command  would  be 
recognized  it  must  first  receive  their  sanction  or  jiermission. 
So  there  was  no  necessity  for  consulting  you  at  that  time,  as  it 
had  first  to  be  brought  before  those  commanding  officers,  and 
it  then  Avas  to  continue   not  longer  than  days  after  the 

close  of  the  next  regular  session  of  the  Legislature,  and  is 
obviously  onl}':  a  temporary  command. 

No  matter  how  high  m}^  personal  respect  may  be  for  you, 
yet,  in  the  discharge  of  public  duties,  I  may  be  bound  to  differ. 
Called  into  office  at  the  commencement  of  a  revolution,  after 
having  been  in  a  foreign  land  for  three  years,  and  somewhat 
unacquainted  with  men,  I  have  often  had  to  assume  very  pain- 
ful responsibilities  against  the  opinions  of  those  immediately 
ai-ound.  Everj'thing  was  in  confusion,  and,  you  may  say,  in  a 
revolution — the  consequences  of  which  will  be  felt  for  genera- 
tions to  come.  I  was  held  responsible  for  the  high  trust 
reposed  in  mo,  and  I  had  the  most  decided  opinions  of  public 
policy.  However  painful  and  unpleasant  it  may  have  been  to 
differ  Avith  persons  of  your  high  position,  jot  there  is  no 
motive  for  any  public  act  which  I  have  performed,  or  any 
orders  I  have  issued,  into  which  I  do  not  defy  scrutiny.  I 
have  done  things  in  which  I  differed  from  my  dearest  friends, 
and,  perhaps,  have  often  acted  impetuously,  as  supposed  by 
them,  but  there  never  has  been  a  moment  in  these  perilous 
times  in  which  I  did  not  feel  more  devotion  to  my  country 
than  to  the  ties  even  of  friendship. 

I  think  the  reasons  you  give  for  resigning  are  not  sufficient, 
and  I  deeply  regi'et  that  you  should  have  taken  exception  to 
what  I  have  done;  but,  nevertheless,  as  your  Major-General 
has  transmitted  3'our  resignation,  I  will  accept  it. 
With  high  personal  considei'ation, 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 

F.  W.  riCKENS. 


27 

Charleston,  July  15,  18G1. 
Your  Excellency  : 

I  had  hoped  I  Avould  not  have  been  obliged  to  extend  this 
correspondence,  but  I  am  sure  your  sense  of  justice  will 
indulge  me  a  little  further. 

I  have  assigned,  among  other  reasons,  for  resigning,  that 
you  have  not  shown  that  recognition  which  appeared  to  be 
due  to  me  as  a  general  officer.  I  detailed  several  instances, 
but  c;ntined  nwself  to  the  facts,  neither  canvassing  nor  ques- 
tioning your  intention  or  motive.  You  reply,  that  jon  do  not 
think  mv  reasons  for  resijrninir  are  sufficient.  Yet  vou  adopt 
a  line  of  argument  to  arrive  at  this  conclusion,  which  not  onl}' 
admits  the  facts  I  have  stated,  but  is  founded,  as  you  intimate?, 
on  a  settled  intention  not  to-consult  me — and  wh}'  ?  Because 
on  two  occasions  having  been  called  into  council,  and  my 
opinion  specially  asked,  I  ventured  to  differ  from  you,  and 
express  opinions  not  in  conformit}''  with  yours.  In  other 
words,  my  rank,  position  and  counsel  as  a  public  officer  were 
to  be  overlooked  because  I  did  not  yield  acquiescence  to  that 
whicli  did  not  accord  with  my  honest  convictions.  So  far  from 
not  resigning  now,  let  me  respectfully  add,  that  had  3'our 
Excellency  then  hinted  at  what  you  now  express  I  would  by 
no  means  have  yielded  to  the  solicitation  of  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  recall  my  resignation  of  the  8th  January,  but  would 
have  persisted  in  retiring. 

•-  I  must  ask  your  indul^-ence  a  little  lont^er.  You  sav  that 
about  the  29th  December  I  made  "  a  regular  military  protest" 
against  ever}'  thing  you  had  done,  or  were  prejiared  to  do,  and 
demanded  a  council  of  war;  that,  on  the  3d  day  of  January 
last,  you  endorsed  on  the  back  of  my  demand  for  a  council  of 
war  that  you  would  agree  to  no  council  of  war  that  Avould 
drive  j^ou  to  any  such  conclusions. 

Permit  me,  in  justice  to  myself,  to  show  you  the  mistaken 
impressions  under  which  you  seem  to  labor.  The  date  of  my 
report  was  1st  Januaiy,  and  not  29th  December.  This  date  is 
important,  as  you  will  see  in  the  sequel.  I  respectfully  ask 
leave  to  correct  3'Our  misapprehension  also  as  to  its  being  a 
"  regular  military  protest."  It  appears  to  me  that  j'ou  are  mis- 
taken. The  pa|)cr  I  sent  you  was  a  Eeport  on  the  Defences  of 
the  Harbor  of  Charleston. 


28 

1  sent  it  to  5'ou  because,  on  the  31st  December,  1860,  yo\i 
directed  Major-General  Scbnierle,  in  your  own  words,  as  follows: 

"  You  are  now  orcfered  to  see  and  attend  particularly  to 
the  objects  and  the  different  commands  I  have  detailed  to  you 
above,  and  for  this  purpose  you  are  directed  to  call  into  requisi- 
tion and  council  the  valuable  aid/and  cooperation  of  Brigadier- 
General  Simons." 

Thus  called,  and  in  pursuance  of  my  responsibility  and  duty 
as  Brigadier-General,  I  made  a  report  of  my  examination  of 
the  harbor,  and  my  opinion  thereon.  That  it  was  a  report,  and 
not  a  2^1'otest,  I  cite  your  Excellency  as  both  witness  and  judge. 
On  the  2d  January  you  say,  in  a  letter  to  me  :  •'  Your  extraordi- 
nary report  I  received  last  night,  and  have  only  to  say  that  I 
do  not  pi'etend  that  the  orders  and  disposition  of  the  forces  in 
Charleston  harbor  are  at  all  perfect  or  beyond  the  criticism  of 
strict  military  rule." 

If  you  thought  it  then  a  regular  military  protest,  it  seems  to 
me  that  3'ou  would  not  have  called  it  a  report.  When  you 
referred  it  the  same  day  to  the  members  of  your  Board  of 
Ordnance,  if  they  thought  it  a  protest,  it  is  strange  they  should 
call  it  a  report  in  their  reply  to  you. 

In  this  connection,  speaking  of  your  not  consulting  me,  you 
say  that,  on  reflection,  I  will  hardly  think  anything  of  that, 
since  I  differed  widely  from  you  at  the  Mills  House,  and 
aj)peared  to  lecture  you  on  your  duties  in  the  pi'csence  of 
juniors,  etc.,  etc.  In  repl}^,  I  would  beg  3'Ou  to  bear  in  mind, 
that  the  Mills  House  conference  was  on  the  27th  December,  the 
day  after  Major  Anderson's  move.  I  bertainl}'  could  not  sup- 
pose that,  by  reason  of  the  Mills  House  transaction,  you  would 
not  consult  with  me,  for  this  reason,  that  afterward,  on  the 
30th  December,  so  far  from  not  consulting  me,  you  named  me 
second  in  a  council  of  war  "to  consider  and  report,  without 
delay,  the  most  approved  plan  for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Sum- 
ter;" and,  still  later,  on  the  3l8t  December,  so  far  from  not 
consulting  me,  j^ou  ordered  Major-General  Scbnierle  to  call  me 
into  council  as  to  all  your  arrangements,  and  used  to  him  the 
flattering  and  commendatory  expressions  I  have  already  quoted. 
I  could  not,  therefore,  attribute  your  refusal  to  consult  me  to 
any  matters  anterior  to  31st  December,  18G0;  nor  could  I  have 
attributed  it  to  ra}'-  report  of  the  1st  January;  for  the  language 
then  used  was  of  the   most   deferential    kind,  and,  as  I  shall 


29     . 

presently  show,  I  was  confirmed  in  mj  views  by  two  distin- 
guislied  members  of  your  Board  of  Ordnance.  I  have  said  tliis 
mucli  in  repi}',  and  only  to  set  you  rig'ht  as  to  what  appears  to 
me  to  be  a  misapiirehension  on  your  part.  I  have  not  ques- 
tioned your  motives  and  intentions,  and  will  not  in  any  way 
attempt  to  do  so;  and,  in  my  letter  of  10th  July,  you  \vill  find 
I  have  confined  myself  to  events  subsequent  to  the  8th  January, 
1861,  when  I  recalled. my  former  resignation. 

Further :  you  say  I  demanded  a  council  of  war,  etc.  1  respect- 
fully ask  leave  again  to  correct  this  misajjprohenslon.  My 
words  were  (see  Report) : 

"  With  great  respect,  I  pray  your  Excellency,  at  this  moment 
of  great  peril,  to  consider  the  suggestions  herein  submitted,  and 
to  lay  the  matter  before  a  council  of  war,  in  accordance  with 
the  custom  of  armies  engaged  in  active  operations." 

I  cannot  conceive  how  this  can  be  called  a  demand;  and  I 
frankly  say  I  think  1  understood  my  duty  too  well  to  have  been 
so  disrespectful  as  to  have  made  a  demand. 

In  relation  to  Captain  Jetfords'  company,  I  beg  leave  to  say, 
that  on  examination  you  will  find  that  your  order  of  29th  June, 
authorizing  the  Adjutant-General  to  receive  them  as  an  inde- 
pendent volunteer  company,  was  without  condition  or  qualifica- 
tion. Even  .admitting  that  the  suggestion  of  the  Adjutant- 
General  to  you,  of  the  6th  July  (which  was  after  I  had 
conferred  with  him  and  stated  my  dissatisfaction),  and  your 
reply  of  the  7th  of  July,  were  part  of  the  res  gestcc,  still  I  have 
not  urged  the  unlawfulness  of  your  order  as  a  ground  of  my 
resignation.  The  point  of  my  owmplaint  was,  that  although  I 
was  engaged  from  day  to  day,  laboriously  endeavoring  to  organ- 
ize the  "great  jiortiou"  of  those  very  men,  according  to  your 
own  orders,  j'ou  took  them  from  my  command  without  giving 
me  the  least  notice.  Your  justifying  this  confirms  me  in  the 
necessity  of  my  withdrawing,  bbth  on  my  own  account  and  for 
the  public  service. 

In  conclusion,  I  ask  leave  to  make  a  request  of  you.  You 
say  that  you  endorsed  on  my  report,  above  mentioned,  that 
you  would  agree  to  no  council  of  war  that  would  drive  you  to 
any  such  conclusions. 

This  stamp  of -j-our  condemnation  of  my  report,  of  course, 
must  be  part  of  the  record,  and  therefore,  as  a  matter  of  justice 
to  myself,  I  ask  the  favor  of  you  to  send  me  a  copy  of  the 


30 

report  of  the  members  of  your  Board  of  Ordnance,  to  whom 
you  referred  my  report. 

The  •'entlemen  were  General  James  Jones  and  Col.  Thomas 
F.  Drayton  (the  same  who  had  been  members,  with  me,  of  the 
Council  of  ^Yar,  30th  December,  1860),  men  of  militarj'  educa- 
tion and  experience,  who  possess  the  entire  confidence  of  the 
people  of  this  commonwealth,  and  who  were  not  only  selected 
by  you  for  3'our  Board  of  Ordnance,  but  called  specially  to 
consider  this  report.  I  think  their  repl}'  was  very  nearly  in 
the  following  words,  but  the  copy  will  be  more  precise : 

They  say  to  you  in  writing,  I  think  under  date  2d  January, 
1861,  that  at  your  request  they  had  examined  the  report  of 
Brig.  General  James  Simons,  of  the  Fourth  Brigade,  as  to  the 
defences  of  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  and  beg  leave  respect- 
fully to  report  that  they  agree  with  General  Simons  in  the 
positions  he  has  assumed  and  the  conclusions  he  has  deduced 
therefrom;  and  they  return  you  my  report  with  their  commu- 
nication under  both  their  signatures. 

As  this  document  forms  part  of  the  public  record  of  this 
transaction,  and  may  be  of  use  to  me  in  after-history,  at  any 
rate  as  it  gives  me  the  satisfactory  confirmation  of  such  distin- 
guished authority,  I  will  be  greatly  obliged  to  you  to  send  me 
a  copy. 

In  ending  this  correspondence,  I  extremely  regret  its  aj)par- 
ent  controversial  character.  I  disclaim  any  aggressive  inten- 
tion or  spirit  against  yourself  or  your  administration  of  public 
affairs.  I  hope  I  am  too  loyal  a  citizen  to  set  so  evil  an  exam- 
ple. I  have  been  obliged  tj^present  myself,  as  it  appears  to 
me,  right  on  the  record,  and  to  disclose  the  grounds  on  which 
I  felt  myself  constrained  to  retire  from  my  post  at  such  a 
season;  but  this  does  not  abate  my  consideration  for  your  high 
oflScial  station,  or  my  ardent  hope  for  the  successful  termina- 
tion of  the  great  revolution  in  which  we  are  engaged. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  resjDectfully, 

Your  Excellenc3'''s  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  SIMONS. 
To  his  Excellency  Governor  F.  W.  Pickens, 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


31 


State  of  South  Carolina,  Head-quarters, 

July  nth,  1S61. 
To  General  ^imons: 

Dear  Sir: — I  received  yours  this  morning,  dated  the  15th 
instant,  and  hasten  to  say  that  my  letter  in  answer  to  your 
reasons  for  resigning  the  other  day,  was  written  from  memory 
of  dates  and  language,  as  I  had  none  of  the  original  corres- 
pondence before  me,  nor  did  I  have  j^our  "report"  or  my 
endorsement,  and  this  is  the  reason  I  said  ''about  the  29th  of 
December,"  instead,  more  accurately,  the  "1st  of  January," 
which  you  state  to  l)e  the  true  date.  I  did  not  mean  to  be 
exactly  precise  as  to  dates  or  terms,  but  merely  to  give  the 
substance  of  what  1  recollected.  The  original  papers  are  all 
in  the  Adjutant-General's  office,  or  ought  to  be,  and  you  are  at 
perfect  liberty  to  take  copies,  and  show  this  to  the  acting 
Adjutant-General  Simonton,  and  let  him  note  what  papers  you 
take  copies  of,  and  then,  of  course,  have  them  all  filed  carefully, 
as  they  constitute  a  public  record. 

I  recollect  the  "report"  you  mention  of  (reneral  Jones  and 
Colonel  Drayton,  and  perhaps,  upon  reflection,  my  endorse- 
ment wtis  made  upon  that  rather  than  upon  your  "  report  j" 
but,  in  either  case,  the  substance  is  the  same.  Very  probably 
the  words  you  quote  as  my  endorsement  Avere  not  exactly  as 
they  are  on  the  original  document,  but  it  is  nearl}^  the  same, 
as  well  as  I  recollect.  1  only  mention  it  to  illustrate  the  dif- 
ference of  opinion  between  us. 

I  hope  that  you  have  read  to  3-our  staff  my  letter  fully, 
because  I  desire  they  shall  know  that  nothing  I  have  ordered 
or  directed  was  in  the  slightest  degree  offensive,  or,  at  least, 
w^as  not  at  all  so  intended  by  me.  There  may  be  the  widest 
difference  of  opinions  between  gentlemen  as  to  the  best  mode 
of  executir^g  anything,  and  also  as  to  all  public  questipns,  and 
yet  perfectly  consistent  with  the  preservation  of  the  highest 
mutual  pcrsdnal  regard  and  respect. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

F.  W.  PICKENS. 


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